The science is in — EPA, end the debate on turf safety

An op-ed piece featured in "The Hill"

The Environmental Protection Agency has been tweaking what it bills a comprehensive investigation of synthetic turf fields and playground infill containing recycled rubber. The initiative launched in February 2016 in response to unfounded claims about potential health risks. Today we’re still waiting on the agency — to either develop a credible study or accept the extensive scientific research that shows no evidence of a connection between recycled rubber and health risks.

The results of the study — led by the EPA in conjunction with the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry — were intended to fill any “data and knowledge gaps” in the existing body of science, and address the lingering rumors and concerns around the safety of these products once and for all.